Kniphofia plant named ‘Amazing Fun’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kniphofia  plant named ‘Amazing Fun’, characterized by its upright growth habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; red-colored flower buds that develop into orange and yellow-colored flowers; and winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Kniphofia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘AMAZING FUN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kniphofia plant, botanically known as Kniphofia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Amazing Fun’.

The new Kniphofia originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in 1998 of two unnamed proprietary seedling selections of Kniphofia hybrida, not patented. The new Kniphofia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands in 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kniphofia plant by vegetative divisions in a controlled environment in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands since 2001 has shown that the unique features of this new Kniphofia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kniphofia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Amazing Fun’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Amazing Fun’ as a new and distinct Kniphofia plant:

-   -   1. Upright growth habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Red-colored flower buds that develop into orange and         yellow-colored flowers.     -   6. Relatively more winter hardy than other Kniphofia plants.

Plants of the new Kniphofia can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Kniphofia differ from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kniphofia are shorter than plants of the         parent selections.     -   2. Plants of the new Kniphofia and the parent selections differ         in flower color.     -   3. Plants of the new Kniphofia are more winter hardy than plants         of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Kniphofia can also be compared to plants of Kniphofia hybrida ‘Nancy's Red’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kniphofia differed from plants of ‘Nancy's Red’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kniphofia were shorter than plants of         ‘Nancy's Red’.     -   2. Plants of the new Kniphofia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Nancy's Red’.     -   3. Plants of the new Kniphofia and ‘Nancy's Red’ differed in         flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Kniphofia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kniphofia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Amazing Fun’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Amazing Fun’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘Amazing Fun’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in containers during the late summer in an outdoor nursery in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands under cultural practices which approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 16° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Kniphofia hybrida ‘Amazing Fun’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling             selection of Kniphofia hybrida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling             selection of Kniphofia hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative divisions.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 45 days at 20°             C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous, fleshy; creamy yellow in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright growth             habit; basal rosette of leaves; flowering stems developing             from the center of the basal rosette of leaves; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 36             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About             50.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 52 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 37.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 8 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate; strongly keeled.         -   Apex.—Long acuminate.         -   Base.—Broadly cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A and             143B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A to 143B;             venation, close to 143A to 143B. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 137B and 143A; venation, close to             137B and 143A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single funnelform flowers             arranged on upright terminal racemes; freely flowering habit             with about 100 flowers developing per inflorescence; flowers             face outward to downward.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants             flower continuously from mid-summer to early autumn in The             Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 14 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 9 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.4 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly oblong. Color: Close to 41A to 41B; towards             the base, close to 35B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Six segments fused towards the base             into a tube; 10% of segments are free. Segment length: About             2.5 cm. Segment width: About 2.5 mm. Lobe shape: Broadly             ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, inner             surface: Close to 11D; stripes near the apex, close to 22B             to 22C. When opening, outer surface: Close to 29A; towards             the base, close to 11D. Fully opened, inner surface: Close             to 11D; color becoming closer to 14B with development. Fully             opened, outer surface: Close to 14C; towards the base, close             to 11D.         -   Sepals.—None observed.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 47.1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 5° from vertical.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A and 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 90° from vertical. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About six per             flower. Filament length: About 2.8 cm. Filament color: Close             to 11D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Close to 12A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 8A to 8B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 2.5 cm. Style length: About 2.4 cm.             Style color: Close to 154B to 154C. Stigma shape: Crested.             Stigma color: Close to 22A. Ovary color: Close to 144B.             Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Kniphofia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Kniphofia have been observed     to have good garden performance. Plants of the new Kniphofia have     been observed to tolerate high temperatures of about 32° C. and to     be winter hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 7. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Kniphofia have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Kniphofia. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Kniphofia plant named ‘Amazing Fun’ as illustrated and described. 